Language – the "key" to building public support.

Son La province has a long border and is home to 12 ethnic groups. Stationed in the area, the Son La Provincial Border Guard Command considers fluency in the local languages ​​a strategic task. Eliminating language barriers not only helps officers and soldiers understand the thoughts and customs of the people, but also serves as a "bridge" to strengthen the bond between the military and the people, building a solid foundation of popular support.

"Border guard loudspeakers" broadcast messages in ethnic minority languages.

Every Saturday at 7 PM, along the roads of Nam Den village, Chieng Son commune, people gather to listen to officers from the Chieng Son Border Guard Post disseminate legal information in their ethnic languages. On the border, where many ethnic groups live together, if one doesn't know the local languages, conveying policies and guidelines requires "interpretation," reducing directness and credibility. Therefore, proficiency in ethnic languages ​​is considered a key solution to innovate methods of community outreach, helping border guards build strong trust with the people through even the simplest things.

The officers and soldiers of Chiềng Sơn Border Guard Station always show concern and closeness to the people.

Officers from the Chiềng Sơn Border Guard Post are raising awareness and promoting compliance with the law among border residents.

The Chiềng Sơn Border Guard Post manages a 11.192 km long border line, with over 5,300 households, 50% of whom are Thai people. Due to language barriers and customs, accessing the area was once a challenge for Lieutenant Lê Văn Tường, the team leader of the Community Mobilization Team. Determined to overcome difficulties, Lieutenant Tường persevered in self-studying to become fluent in Thai and Hmong languages ​​and to learn about the way of life of the local people. His greetings in the local language helped him become closer and more familiar with the people, truly making him a "son of the village" in Nậm Dên.

Based on real-life stories from grassroots levels, such as that of Lieutenant Tuong, the Party Committee and Command of the Son La Provincial Border Guard have paid attention to and opened intensive language training courses for officers and soldiers. In 2025, the unit organized a Thai ethnic language class for 40 officers and soldiers and held a Thai ethnic language competition in March 2026. Through this, the results of self-training were evaluated, and the movement to learn ethnic languages ​​throughout the entire force was promoted.

Lieutenant Colonel Vu Quyen Mua, Deputy Political Officer of Chieng Son Border Guard Station, shared: "We used to worry that many newly arrived officers were not fluent in the local languages, so the effectiveness of mobilizing the people was not high. But after attending intensive ethnic language courses, the officers have been able to connect with the people more closely, implementing the motto 'listen to what the people say, speak in a way the people understand.' When the language barrier was removed, we truly became sons and daughters of the village, trusted and loved by the people, and they were ready to share everything with us."

Military and police forces are coordinating efforts to raise awareness and promote compliance with the law among people living in border areas.

At the Long Sap International Border Gate Border Guard Station, proficiency in ethnic languages ​​is also emphasized as a key political task. Given the unique characteristics of the border gate area, with its high volume of people crossing and the potential for complex cross-border crime, ethnic languages ​​have become a "sharp weapon" in community outreach and operational activities.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the unit organized more than 20 sessions to disseminate the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws, attracting over 1,500 participants. Ms. Lu Thi Thanh, a resident of Phieng Cai village, shared: "Previously, when we listened to propaganda in the common language, there were many parts we didn't understand. Now, the soldiers come to our village and speak in our ethnic language, so we understand more and correctly the Party's guidelines and the State's laws. We will encourage each other to comply and not listen to the words of bad people."

Lieutenant Colonel Tran Nam Hung, Commander of the Long Sap International Border Gate Border Guard Station, emphasized: "Each officer and soldier understanding and proficiently using the ethnic language will create closeness, connection, and trust among the people. From there, the people will voluntarily and proactively stand side-by-side with the border guards in the task of safeguarding every inch of land and border marker, and together build a peaceful and prosperous border region."

The Long Sap International Border Gate Border Guard Station will participate in the Thai ethnic language competition in March 2026.

Based on practical results, it can be affirmed that training border guards in ethnic languages ​​is a correct and strategic direction. Colonel Nguyen Danh Tue, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Son La Provincial Border Guard Command, said: In the context of complex border security, language is a special tool for building a strong foundation of public support. In the coming time, the Command will continue to expand specialized training courses, considering this an important criterion for evaluating and assigning officers to positions that match the specific characteristics of each area, helping each soldier become a true cultural communicator.

With the close attention of the Party Committee and the Command of the Provincial Border Guard, and the self-study efforts of each soldier, learning and mastering ethnic languages ​​is helping to improve the effectiveness of border defense work. When each soldier can speak the language of the local people, the bond between the military and the people in the border region will be further strengthened, creating a combined strength to firmly protect sovereignty and build a stronger and more prosperous Son La border region.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/ngon-ngu-chia-khoa-xay-dung-the-tran-long-dan-E9WTaH0vg.html